Teaching English as a foreign language to very young learners and young learners (kindergarten and lower primary school - grades 0-3) 4101-3SDYDPPIEE
During the course students learn to define and characterise stages in child development as well as to recognize difficulties and special educational needs. Students can describe peculiarities of working with children and teacher’s duties concerning children’s educational needs. Students learn the techniques for classroom management, and especially for keeping discipline. The course equips students with an ability to assess and select methods, techniques and teaching aids appropriate for teaching foreign languages to very young and young children with reference to language skills (mainly listening and speaking but also reading and writing) and elements (vocabulary and grammar). After the course students are able to assess children’s progress during foreign language lessons and they know how to appropriately plan lessons and design and teaching aids.
Semester I:
- Stages and aspects of child development.
- Foreign language acquisition process in pre-school children and children at the first stage of education. Characterising children as foreign language learners.
- Classroom management and keeping discipline at pre-school level and the first stage of education.
- Using hands-on activities, poems, stories, songs, chants, drama and games in teaching foreign languages to pre-school children and children at the first stage of education.
- Designing teaching aids for pre-school children and children at the first stage of education.
- Teaching foreign language vocabulary to pre-school children and children at the first stage of education.
Semester II:
- Teaching foreign language grammar to pre-school children and children at the first stage of education.
- Developing listening skills in a foreign language in pre-school children and children at the first stage of education.
- Developing speaking skills in a foreign language in pre-school children and children at the first stage of education.
- Developing reading skills in a foreign language in pre-school children and children at the first stage of education.
- Developing writing skills in a foreign language in pre-school children and children at the first stage of education.
- Assessing foreign language skills in pre-school children and children at the first stage of education.
- Planning foreign language lessons at pre-school level and the first stage of education level.
Note: Particular topics can be covered during more than one meeting.
Type of course
Learning outcomes
Knowledge
K_W01 - the student has a basic knowledge of the relevant study areas in the teaching of foreign languages, which have practical application in foreign language teaching at pre-school and the first stage of education - H1P_W01,
K_W03 - the student has an understanding of the basic academic terms appropriate for teaching foreign languages - H1P_W03,
K_W05 - the student has a basic knowledge of the standards of practice in institutions related to the teaching of foreign languages- H1P_W07,
Skills
K_U01 – the student is able to search, analyse, evaluate, select and use information using a variety of sources and methods - H1P_U01,
K_U05 – the student has the basic skills to evaluate the quality of foreign language teaching - H1P_U06,
K_U08 – the student is capable of assessing the suitability of a variety of methods, procedures and best practices, and select and apply the appropriate approach with the goal of accomplishing tasks and solving problems related to foreign language teaching - H1P_U09,
K_U25 – the student is able to analyse their own actions and identify possible areas for change in the future - S1A_U06.
Social competence
K_K04 – the student correctly identifies and resolves dilemmas associated with the profession - H1P_K04,
K_K07 – the student is aware of the level of their skills and knowledge and understands the need for on-going training and personal development - H1A K01, H1A K04, S1A_K02,
K_K09 – the student maintains a belief in the importance of behaving in a professional manner and is able to reflect on the ethical issues raised in the teaching profession - S1A K04, S1A K06, H1A_K04.
Assessment criteria
Necessary conditions to pass the course in the first and in the second semester:
- getting a positive mark on a final test,
- getting a positive mark on the assignment connected with the teaching practice,
- timely completion of all the offline and online tasks,
- -preparation and active participation in face-to-face meetings (readings, presentations, discussions),
- attendance (no more than 1 absence from the face-to-face meetings is acceptable).
The final mark for this course in the first and in the second semester is a weighted average:
- a mark on the final test (weight 3) (verified learning outcomes: K_W01, K_W03, K_W05, K_K07, K_K09)
-a mark on the assignment connected with the teaching practice (weight 3) (verified learning outcomes: K_W01, K_W03, K_W05, K_U05, K_U08, K_K04, K_K07, K_K09),
- marks on the offline and online tasks (weight 1 or 2 – depending on the type of the task) (verified learning outcomes: K_W01, K_W03, K_W05, K_U01, K_U05, K_U08, K_U25, K_K04, K_K07, K_K09).
Scale (for the final test, online quizzes and tasks):
95-100% - 5
90-94% - 5-
85-89% - 4+
80-84% - 4
75-79% - 4-
70-74% - 3+
65-69% - 3
60-64% - 3-
0-59% - 2
Assessment criteria for the online tasks (they may differ depending on the type of task):
- submitting the assignment on time,
- following instruction,
- completeness,
- clarity, logic, and quality of argument,
- content organization,
- appropriateness, meaningfulness, and relevance of comments and posts (e.g. in commenting other course participants’ opinions and work),
- design (e.g. in tasks requiring designing the teaching aids).
Student’s work load necessary to achieve the planned learning outcomes (=3 ECTS) in each semester includes:
- 14h – face-to-face meetings and 16h – work on the COME e-learning platform (=1 ECTS),
- 60h of self-study (reflection, consolidation of knowledge and skills, preparing the project connected with the teaching practice, preparing and uploading assignments to the platform, participation in discussion forums – writing posts (=2 ECTS).
Practical placement
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Bibliography
Compulsory:
Cameron, L. (2000). Teaching languages to young learners. Cambridge: CUP.
Pinter, A. (2006). Teaching young language learners. Oxford: OUP.
Szpotowicz, M., & Szulc-Kurpaska, M. (2009). Teaching English to young learners. Warszawa: Wydawnictwo Naukowe PWN.
Students are required to read/get acquainted with the materials available on the COME platform and provided by the teacher during face-to-face meetings (e.g. articles, chapters, PowerPoint presentations, video materials).
Optional:
Brewster, J. et al. (2003). The primary English teacher's guide. London: Penguin.
Ellis, G., & Brewster, J. (2003). The storytelling handbook. London: Penguin.
Ioannou-Georgiou, S., & Pavlou, P. ((2003). Assessing young learners. Oxford: OUP.
Lewis, G., & Bedson, G. (1999). Games for children. Oxford: OUP.
Moon, J. (2000). Children learning English. Oxford: Macmillan.
Phillips, S. (1993). Young learners. Oxford: OUP.
Reilly, V., & Ward, S. (1997). Very young learners. Oxford: OUP.
Scott, W., & Ytreberg, L. (1990). Teaching English to children. London: Longman.
Slattery, M., & Willis, J. (2001). English for primary teachers. A handbook of activities & classroom language. Oxford: OUP.
Szpotowicz, M. (2008). Second language learning processes in lower primary children. Warszawa: WUW.
Additional information
Additional information (registration calendar, class conductors, localization and schedules of classes), might be available in the USOSweb system: